Seven lawyers from the dissolving Philadelphia law firm McKissock & Hoffman will become the Philadelphia office of Pittsburgh-based Burns White & Hickton, the firm said Monday. Partner William J. Mundy will lead a group that includes six associates and four support staff that handles defense litigation for long-term health-care providers. They will join effective Oct. 1, when 40-lawyer defense litigation boutique McKissock & Hoffman officially dissolves.

Most McKissock lawyers are expected to follow name partner Peter Hoffman to Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott while two other partners, Reed Haywood and John McGrath, will be joining Dickie McCamey & Chilcote. Like Burns White, both of those firms are based in Pittsburgh. Name partner Bruce McKissock has yet to decide where he will practice after being conflicted out of joining Eckert Seamans.

When the new group arrives, Burns White, Pittsburgh's 10th-largest law firm, will have 81 lawyers spread over Philadelphia; Pittsburgh; Plymouth Meeting, Pa.,; Princeton, N.J., and Wheeling, W. Va. The firm focuses on litigation, business law and transportation law.

The Mundy group will continue to work from offices formerly occupied by McKissock & Hoffman located at 1818 Market St., 13th floor, in Center City at least through the end of next month, Mundy said.